


Sea Below to Skies Above

by Hils



Category: SPN RPS AU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-02
Updated: 2011-12-02
Packaged: 2018-10-15 04:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10550214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hils/pseuds/Hils
Summary: Jensen is quite content with his life in the ocean until Jared literally crashes into his life





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the SPN Reversebang challenge. Amazing art by Malbryn can be found [here](http://malbryn.livejournal.com/7850.html)

Jensen was very much a creature of habit. He woke when the first rays of light shone into his home and he retired when the moon was at its peak. Each day was the same. Wake up, clean his tail, eat, swim around the perimeter of his home, meet with the council to discuss any potential security issues, eat again and then sleep.

“Don’t you ever take any time off?” Misha asked during Jensen’s once per week visit to the surface.

“What do you think this is?” Jensen replied, gesturing to the sun that was currently beating down on his as he sat on the deck of Misha’s ship with his tail dangling over the side. It was mildly uncomfortable, and he longed to be back in the water, but it wasn’t dangerous. In fact he seemed to be coping with the heat better than Misha who had stripped down from his usual full uniform to a thin cotton shirt and a pair of short breeches while his face glistened with perspiration. The uniform was mostly for show anyway. Pirates didn’t exactly dress to conformity.

“This is you checking to make sure his majesty’s navy doesn’t come anywhere near your home. Where I come from that’s called work.” Misha shuddered at the word, as though the very idea was the most distasteful thing he had ever heard of.

Jensen gave an irritated flick of his tail rather than concede that Misha was right. So, he took his work seriously. He had to. His people depended on him to keep them safe.

Overhead the wingmen flew by and Jensen watched them as they passed. As usual the one that Jensen presumed to be their leader was at the front of the flock, guiding them as they soared past the ship.

Not for the first time Jensen found himself wondering about them, about the handsome man with the long hair that shone in the sun as he led them. He had no idea who they were or what they did, just that the seemed to fly by Misha’s ship every time Jensen was there. He’d asked Misha about them once, but Misha had been just as clueless. He said they kept to themselves almost as much as Jensen’s people did, and they caused no harm so he left them alone.

“I don’t suppose I can convince you to stay a while longer and dine with me,” Misha asked, his voice cutting into Jensen’s thoughts.

“You know I can’t,” Jensen replied with a frown. “I have responsibilities. I can’t afford to spend time socializing.”

“You know, we have a saying up here about all work and no play.”

“What about it?”

“It makes Jensen a dull boy.”

Jensen snorted. “Remind me again why I’m friends with you. More specifically remind me why I saved your life that time. All you ever do is point out my failings.”

“Not failings,” Misha replied with a pat on Jensen’s shoulder. “Areas for improvement. And you saved my life because, despite your tedious nature, you’ve got a good heart.”

Jensen gave Misha’s leg a friendly squeeze. He knew that despite all the teasing Misha liked him. That was why his ships regular berthing point was swimming distance from Jensen’s home.

“I have to go,” he said. “Duty calls.”

“Of course it does,” Misha replied. “See you next week, unless something more exciting comes along in the meantime.”

With Misha it was entirely possible. He’d often set sail on a whim and be gone for weeks on some sort of mad quest or another. But he always came back with stories to tell and gifts for Jensen that he had no use for.

Jensen nodded and pushed off the side of the desk, letting out a sigh of pleasure as his body hit the water. As much as he enjoyed his visits with Misha, this was where he belonged.

Most merpeople retreated to caves or other dwellings during a storm, but not Jensen. He found them soothing and liked to swim as close as he could safely get to the surface to watch the flashes of light and the muted rumblings of thunder. Nature was a powerful mistress, and this was a reminder of her strength.

He was far enough down that the water was gently rocking him rather than tossing him around as it would if he was closer to the surface and he maneuvered himself so that he was lying on his back facing upwards. This storm was particularly vicious. Even several feet below the water Jensen could feel the vibrations of the thunder and there were only a few seconds between the flashes of lightning.

The storm didn’t last long, and it moved quickly. Soon the waters were as calm as they had been before, as though nothing had happened. This part was almost as enjoyable at the storm itself to Jensen. The waters were still and beautiful shades of green that only ever seemed to occur after a storm. Jensen righted himself and took a deep breath. Everything felt fresher after a storm, as though it carried some sort of cleansing power.

Jensen was just thinking about returning to his home when the body hit the water.

For a moment all Jensen could do was float there, staring. It wasn’t as though he’d never seen a man drowning before. The sea claimed many lives. But this was the first time a wingman had fallen into Jensen’s ocean.

He knew he should leave him. Nature had made a claim and Jensen had no right to interfere. It was only by chance that the council didn’t know he’d saved Misha’s life and he’d sworn he’d never take that risk again. But he was curious, and he decided there was no harm in looking.

Cautiously he swam closer, making sure to keep a safe enough distance. It wasn’t that the man posed any real threat. He had mere minutes of life left, but Jensen knew if he got too close he might feel inclined to help.

The man was unconscious, his clothing torn and ragged in places. A coldness ran through Jensen as he realized that he knew this man. He was the one. The one he saw every week leading the flock past Misha’s ship. The hair that had shone so brightly in the sun was now dull and matted around his head, as were the wings which Jensen had been so curious about.

Even from a distance Jensen was amazed to see that the wings were not just a brown color as he had first thought. They were a beautiful array of reds, yellows, golds and browns. He’d never seen anything like it before in his life.

What was even more fascinating was that the tips of the feathers had faded into a dull grey, a grey that was slowly spreading up the wings even as Jensen watched. It was like they were fading with the fading life of the man in front of him.

Jensen found himself moving before his brain had even fully processed what he was doing. He caught the man under his arms and pulled him towards the surface. It wasn’t easy. The man was heavy and had the extra weight of his wings pulling him down. Jensen was strong, though, and endured the straining of his muscles as he swam until they broke the surface.

The wingman’s head lolled against Jensen’s shoulder and Jensen had no idea whether he still lived or whether it was too late. He positioned them both so that the man’s head stayed above the water while Jensen swam. There was only one place they could go and Jensen could only hope that if the man still lived, that he remained that way until he could get them there.

Misha, to his credit, said very little when presented with the sight of a merman carrying an unconscious wingman. He simply ordered his men to lower a rope and had the wingman carried to a cabin as soon as they’d been hoisted aboard.

“You want me to carry you in there after him?” Misha asked when all Jensen could do was sit on the deck and watch as the man he had rescued was carried out of sight.

Jensen glared at him. “If you try, I will find a way to end you.”

“That seems a little counter-productive after you went to the effort to save me,” Misha replied. “But suit yourself. I’ll just go and check on your latest save then, shall I?”

“Wait!” Jensen reached out and grabbed one of Misha’s boots as he turned to leave. “Just. .. do it quickly, okay? And if you tell anyone. . .”

“You’ll end me. Got it.”

Being hoisted over Misha’s shoulder like a sack of grain was without a doubt the most humiliating thing Jensen had ever endured, but it was over with quickly and Jensen soon found himself carefully deposited on a chair beside the bed that held the wingman.

In the dim candlelight of the cabin it was hard for Jensen to make out the man that he’d just saved. He was currently being examined by someone who Jensen could only presume was the ship surgeon and Jensen took that as a good sign. If the wingman had been dead there would be no use for a surgeon, surely.

“Well, he’s still alive,” the surgeon said after a moment, turning to face Jensen. He seemed remarkably unfazed by the presence of two non-humans, although his face was grim as he spoke. “Frankly, I’m amazed he’s lasted this long. He’s taken quite a beating from the storm, one of his wings is broken and I don’t even know how much water he must have swallowed before you saved him.

“I need to set the wing,” the surgeon continued. “But I have no idea how. I’m not skilled in the treatment of animals.”

“We’ll work it out,” Misha replied with a confident smile, clapping the surgeon on the back with one hand. “We’ve worked on more with less. Come on, let’s have a look at my books.”

They left the cabin without a backwards glance to Jensen, leaving him alone with the wingman once more. His broken wing was trailing on the floor and Jensen could see the man’s bare chest rising and falling rapidly with shallow breaths.

“I really hope this wasn’t a mistake,” Jensen muttered to himself.

He almost toppled out of his chair when the wingman moaned softly and his hand reached out and came into contact with Jensen’s tail. No one had ever laid a hand on Jensen’s tail before and he flinched at the contact.

“Uh, hey. You awake?”

The man moaned again and fell still, his hand resting limply against Jensen’s tail.

Jensen frowned and lifted the wayward limb, draping it back across the wingman’s stomach and hoping it stayed put this time.

“Where am I?”

Jensen had assumed the man had fallen unconscious again and was startled when the weak and ragged voice came from the bed.

“On board a ship,” Jensen replied. “You’re safe.”

Jensen tried to shuffle forward when it became apparent that the man was going to try and get out of bed. Fortunately, Jensen supposed, the wingman only made it halfway before he cried out in pain and fell back.

“Hey,” Jensen said as a small whimper escaped the other man’s lips. “Just lie still, okay. Your wing is broken but my friends are going to help you.”

“I can’t fly.” The wingman made it sound as though he’d just been handed a death sentence. As though his whole world had ended. Even though Jensen didn’t know this man he was suddenly struck with the urge to do something, anything, to make it better.

“You’ll be okay,” Jensen promised. “What’s your name?”

“Jared.”

“My name is Jensen and, Jared, I promise you it’ll be all right but you need to rest first, okay?” His voice was soothing and gentle, speaking in the same way that he did with the children.

Jared nodded and his hand, the one that had found Jensen’s tail earlier, reached out blindly until Jensen caught it in his own.

“Thank you, Jensen.” And with that he fell still.

Jensen just had to hope that the promise he’d made was one that he’d be able to keep.

“Good news,” the surgeon announced when he bustled into the cabin a few minutes later. “The wing is a relatively easy fix. Just got to strap it to his side for a few weeks and let nature do the rest.”

He was smiling now and Jensen couldn’t help but feel reassured. Looks like he’d be able to keep his hastily made promise to Jared after all. He wasn’t sure how Jared was going to react to being grounded for such a long time but it was better than the alternative of never being able to fly again, Jensen supposed.

“I’m going to need your help,” the surgeon continued as Misha followed him into the room. “Sit him up and keep him calm while Captain Misha and I bind the wing. It’s not going to be pleasant for your friend.”

Jensen wanted to protest that Jared wasn’t his friend, that they’d only just met, but Jared’s hand was still in his and he couldn’t exactly refuse to help now after saving his life and foolishly promising Jared he was going to recover.

He nodded and Misha helped maneuver him from the chair onto the edge of the bed.

“Jared?”

No response. He could only assume Jared was unconscious again which was probably for the best considering what was about to happen to him.

He eased Jared up into a sitting position and allowed Jared’s head to rest on his shoulder in much the same way it had when Jensen had plucked him from the water. Jared let out a soft moan and nuzzled his face into Jensen’s neck.

Jensen froze.

Misha and the surgeon were busy sorting through their supplies and were paying them no attention but Jensen’s tail flicked unhappily as he tried to reposition Jared without making it obvious he was doing so. He was a respectable merman, after all. He didn’t snuggle. Especially not with someone who he’d only just met and who wasn’t even a merman.

“Keep him still,” the surgeon instructed as he and Misha came back over to the bed. Jensen nodded and braced Jared against his chest, wrapping one arm around his shoulder and using the other to keep hold of one of Jared’s hands. He just had to hope Jared would remain unconscious until this was over.

“Jensen?”

So much for that.

He gave Jared’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Just lie still. My friends are helping you and-“

Jared let out a scream of pain as the broken wing was folded into place and bound to his side.

“-it’s going to hurt for a moment,” Jensen finished weakly.

Jared’s breath heaved as he shuddered in pain and he clutched Jensen’s hand so tightly Jensen was amazed it hadn’t shattered in the grip. The surgeon handed a glass vial to Jensen.

“Get him to drink that. It’ll make him sleep and help with the pain.”

Jensen wasn’t entirely sure when he’d gone from simple rescuer to nursemaid but the pained whimpers from the man lying beside him were enough to make him push those feelings aside and hold the bottle to Jared’s lips.

“Drink this,” he whispered in what he hoped was a soothing voice. “It’ll help.”

He was amazed that considering they had only just met Jared still seemed to trust him completely and he swallowed the contents without question. A few moments later the grip on Jensen’s had fell slack as Jared drifted into a drugged sleep.

“He’ll sleep until morning now,” the surgeon said as he packed up his things.

“Thank you, Richard,” Misha said, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Never a dull moment with you, Captain,” Misha replied with a dry chuckled as he exited the cabin.

“Do you want to stay with him for a while?” Misha asked as Jensen brushed the damp hair out of Jared’s eyes. “Or do you need to leave?”

Strangely Jensen _did_ want to stay. He was curious about the man he’d saved, but this was the longest he’d ever been on the surface before and he knew if he stayed much longer he’d be missed so he shook his head.

“I’ll take you back,” Misha replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure none of my men see.”

Jensen grunted as Misha hoisted him into his arms. “I may come back and check on him at some point. It’d be a shame for me to do all this one to have him die.”

Misha simply nodded and eased Jensen down onto the edge of the deck. “I’ll see you sometime soon then, Jensen.”

“Where have you been?”

Jensen had barely made it past the perimeter when Danneel’s voice rang out, the sounds catching his attention before she swam into sight. The way her red hair fanned out around her head reminded Jensen of flames, which was appropriate given the amount of time she seemed to spend yelling at him.

“Not now, Danneel,” Jensen sighed as he attempted to swim past her. “I’m tired.”

He flinched when one of her sharp nails dug into his chest as she poked him.

“Jensen, how long have we known each other?”

“Too long,” he muttered.

She poked him again. “We’ve been best friends since we were infants. You tell me everything. Come on, where have you been? If you’ve been having adventures without me I want in.”

Despite the fact her lips were pursed tight with annoyance her eyes betrayed the concern that the rest of her face did not.

“I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, I promise. I just really need to sleep right now.”

Now that he’d had a little time to recover from everything that had happened there was a weariness pulling at him that threatened to drag him down right here if he didn’t get to his bed soon.

“Fine,” Danneel huffed apparently taking in his exhaustion. “But I’ll find you tomorrow, Jensen.”

“I don’t doubt it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He spent a large portion of the morning sleeping, which was probably suspicious in itself given his routine. He decided if anyone asked he’d chalk it down to illness and hope that no one dragged him to see his physician. The afternoon was spent performing his daily duties and avoiding Danneel, and as soon as the moon rose he swam for Misha’s ship. He had planned to wait a few days until his next appearance but no matter what he did he found his mind turning to Jared and whether he still lived.

He was forming an excuse for his early arrival as he hoisted himself over the side of the ship. Misha didn’t even ask. He simply smirked in an infuriatingly knowing manner and carried him into the cabin that he already thought of as Jared’s.

Even in the dim candlelight Jensen could see that Jared did not look well. His face was pale and drawn, his eyes sunken and shadowed as his breath came in short gasps.

“He looks worse than he did when I pulled him from the ocean,” Jensen frowned as Misha eased him into the chair beside Jared’s bed.

“He has a fever,” Misha replied. “It’s not surprising given all that’s happened to him. Richard has been treating him and is confident he’ll recover. He just needs rest.”

Jensen wasn’t entirely convinced but he nodded. Jared didn’t even look as though he was going to survive the night, never mind beyond that.

“I need to attend to the ship,” Misha said once Jensen was settled in his seat. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Jensen nodded again, barely paying any attention as Misha slipped out of the door.

“You can’t die,” Jensen said in what he hoped was his most commanding voice. “Not after I went through all that effort to save you. And think of Misha and Richard. It’s hardly a proper way to thank them for taking you in like this if you leave them with a corpse to deal with.”

A pained whimper escaped Jared’s lips.

“J’nsen?”

Jared’s eyes opened, not really looking at him and more like through him. The fever had him in a firm grip, that much was clear but Jensen had no idea what he could do. He knew nothing of medicine.

“How are you feeling?” He finally asked, realizing as soon as the words left his lips what a ridiculous question it was.

Jared’s legs kicked weakly at the blankets that were draped over him. “Hot. Jensen, is the room on fire?”

“No, you have a fever. Just try to lie still.”

Jensen wasn’t sure if Jared could even hear him in his delirium. He paid no heed to Jensen’s words anyway and kicked at the blanket more earnestly, his unbound wing flapping weakly as he attempted to free himself.

Jensen leaned forward and pressed a hand to Jared’s shoulder to try and hold him still and was surprised when the gesture caused Jared to let out a contented sigh.

“Feels good, Jen.”

Jensen’s hand shot back at the use of the shortened version of his name. No one had ever called him that before, not even Danneel, and it sounded strange. Strange, yet coming from Jared, also kind of nice.

Jared frowned at the loss of contact and started kicking at the blankets again. As he started twisting around on the bed Jensen became concerned about the wing that was currently strapped to Jared’s side.

“Jared, you’re going to hurt yourself. You need to lie still.”

“Hot. . . so hot, Jen.”

There was a bowl of water and a rag beside Jared’s bed but when Jensen used it to wipe at Jared’s brow it seemed to have little effect.

“I wish I could help you,” he sighed as he set the cloth down and brushed Jared’s hair away from his face.

A small smile curled on Jared’s lips and he settled a little.

“I’m an idiot!”

Jared had already demonstrated that Jensen’s touch brought him comfort. His body temperature ran naturally cold. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner? There was only one thing to be done.

He tipped his chair forward and pulled himself onto the bed, trying hard not to jostle Jared too much as he lay down next to him. It was a strange sensation, being in bed with another. Jensen had lived alone for so long that he’d never experienced intimacy like this before, even if it was purely for medicinal reasons.

Jared immediately curled into him, throwing one arm across Jensen’s waist and nuzzling his face into Jensen’s neck.

“You feel so good, Jen. Don’t ever leave me.”

The heat from Jared’s body was uncomfortable, and his limbs were heavy. But despite all the discomfort Jensen couldn’t bring himself to leave. Not when Jared was in pain and needed him.

“I won’t leave you,” he promised as Jared drifted deeper into sleep and he wondered how this man’s comfort had come to be so important to him in less than a day.

The next thing Jensen was aware of Richard was standing over him, smiling down kindly. Jared’s body was still pressed close to his but the sickly burning had faded into a slightly uncomfortable warmth.

“His fever has broken,” Richard said softly. “But I’m concerned about you. You don’t look well yourself.”

He felt fine but when he glanced down his tail had lost most of its color and some of the scales had started to flake. He’d stayed out too long.

“I need to get back to the water. Can you help me?”

He carefully eased himself out from beneath Jared and allowed Richard to carry him out to the deck. He already knew he’d be back soon, but he had to make sure he didn’t stay for so long next time.

At least Jared was going to live.

Jensen could hardly believe it had only been a day since he’d last seen Jared. The change was remarkable. He was sitting up in bed, smiling and there was the remains of a plate of food on the table beside him.

“Even though I am obviously the best company you will ever have, I thought you might like another visitor”

Jared’s head shot up at the sound of Misha’s voice as Misha carried Jensen into the cabin. A beaming smile broke out on his face.

“Well, obviously no one is going to brighten my day more than you, Misha, but I know you have a ship to run. I’m sure Jensen will suffer my company for a while until you come back. Right, Jen?”

The smile Jared flashed him warmed Jensen right to his core. Without the sickness hanging over him Jared’s eyes shone brightly. As soon as Jensen was in the chair beside the bed that he now thought of as his, Jared grabbed hold of his hand.

“I need to say thank you now that I can. You saved my life, Jensen. More than one from what I’ve been told. Really, I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Jensen replied. “Anyone else would have done the same.”

That wasn’t strictly true. Although not a crime to rescue people from drowning  
Jensen’s people respected the ocean enough to not deny her those she had claimed for the most part. He certainly wouldn’t be telling anyone about his second rescue. Someone in his position needed to set an example.

“How are you feeling?” Jensen asked, opting to draw Jared’s attention away from the matter of his rescue.

“Still tired,” Jared replied. “But Richard said that’s to be expected. And my wing, of course. It hurts, and it’s going to take weeks to heal but Misha has been kind and has said I’m welcome to stay here until I can fly again.”

Jensen blinked in surprise. Jared had only been on board the ship for a couple of days, and for most of that he’d been unconscious. Yet he was already on first name terms with both the ship’s surgeon and the captain. In fact the little exchange between Misha and Jared earlier was as though they had been friends for years.

“Are you all right?” Jared asked, cutting into Jensen’s thoughts. “You look so serious.”

Jensen nodded and forced a smile. “Yeah, sorry, I’m fine.”

“You know I’ve never met a merman before.” Jared winced as he shifted into a sitting position. “Water and wings don’t really mix. Obviously. Tell me about yourself. Do you swim around waiting for guys to drop into the water for you to save or did I just get lucky.”

Jensen shrugged. “I was watching the storm.”

Jared smiled. “You don’t talk much, do you? That’s okay, I can probably talk enough for the both of us. But I do want to know more about you. Like, I didn’t know you could survive out of the water. I thought merpeople were like fish.”

Jensen scowled and bristled. “No.”

Jared’s face fell. “I’ve offended you. I’m so sorry. Wow, I really know how to thank the man who saved my life, don’t I?”

“It’s okay,” Jensen said with a wave of his hand. The truth was he’d had exactly the same sort of questions from Misha when they’d first met so he couldn’t exactly blame Jared for asking. “Don’t worry about it.”

“What? Of course I’m going to worry about it!” Jared looked mortified. “You saved my life and I just insulted you. I’m always being told that I talk too much and they’re right. I never know when to shut up. I should have just said thank you and left it at that but I had to go and ask stupid questions. I’m really sorry, Jensen. You have to believe me.”

The stream of words came out of Jared’s mouth so fast that Jensen could barely keep up with them. With the exception of Danneel, possibly, his own people were a somber and stoic race and it was strange to hear so many words fly so quickly.

He couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“You’re laughing at me,” Jared said sadly when he noticed, a pout on his lips better suited to a small child than a grown man. It only made Jensen’s smile widen until, after a moment, he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. Jared’s pout deepened and that only made Jensen laugh harder.

“I’m sorry,” Jensen said when he finally composed himself. “I honestly can’t remember the last time I laughed like that. I promise I wasn’t laughing at you, though. I mean, I suppose I was, but not _at_ you. You’re like no one else I’ve ever met, Jared, and I do mean that as a compliment.”

That, at least, got Jared to smile again. “I like you too. I mean, I think I will when we get to know each other.”

Jensen was still smiling. He couldn’t help it. There was something about Jared that just drew him in. “What do you want to know about me?”

Jared beamed. “Everything.”

Everything, as it turned out, took a long time to discuss. Jensen talked about life in the ocean, his role in making sure that their home remained safe and how he had come to meet Misha three years ago.

“I still don’t know what the idiot was thinking,” Jensen grumbled. “Who rows out into the middle of the ocean with nothing but a lantern and a small pack of food just so he can say he spent the night out there? And then he thought it would be a good idea to go swimming! Apparently no one explained to him the way human muscles cramp in cold water. He was just lucky I happened to be passing.”

Jared smiled. “Well, I guess I’m lucky twice over then. Because if you hadn’t saved Misha then I wouldn’t be here either.”

Jensen hadn’t really thought about it like that.

“Misha seems to be all about experiencing life to the full,” Jared continued. “I can’t say there’s anything wrong with that. I should take him flying when my wing’s healed. You too.”

“Uh, no thanks.” Jensen paled at the mere thought. “I don’t belong up there.”

“You’re just afraid because you’ve never experienced it before,” Jared replied with a determined nod of his head. “Trust me nothing beats the feeling of the wind rushing through your hair as you soar above the clouds. Just think about it, okay?”

Jensen didn’t need to think about it. He had no business being in the air any more than Jared did being in the water.

“How did you end up in the ocean anyway?” He finally asked, opting to change the subject.

Jared’s attention instantly focused on the blanket covering his legs and he started picking at the small bobbles of fabric with his fingers.

“I had a disagreement with my family,” he finally said softly. “I needed to clear my head and I didn’t know I was flying into a storm until it was too late. I’m a strong flier but the wind was too much. My wing was broken before I even landed in the water.”

Jensen could tell Jared didn’t want to talk about his family, or whatever disagreement it was that they’d had. Everything about Jared’s body language told him to let it drop and so he did. He valued his own privacy enough not to want to violate anyone else’s.

“You should get some rest,” he said when he noticed Jared’s eyes were starting to droop.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” Jared asked.

He knew he shouldn’t. Now that Jared was out of danger he should leave him be and return to his own life and his own business. But Jared was looking at him all sleepy and hopeful and right then Jensen realized just how much trouble he was in, because he wasn’t sure he could deny Jared anything.

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, now I know you’re avoiding me. Or hiding something. Maybe both.” Danneel was waiting outside Jensen’s home when he got back and the look on her face told him he wasn’t going to get away so easily this time.

“Do you have a secret lover that you’re too ashamed to tell me about?” Danneel demanded when Jensen didn’t answer. “I’ve already told you I don’t care that you prefer mermen to mermaids. Come on, you can tell me.”

“Yeah,” Jensen replied as he swam past her. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s just like the stories we used to read when we were small. I’ve fallen in love with a surfacer and now I’m going to have a witch remove my tail and give me legs so that we can be together.”

Danneel snorted. “You’re not romantic enough for that to even be remotely true.”

Her face softened. “Just tell me you’re not doing anything stupid. It’s not going to be long before other members of the council notice you keep disappearing.”

Jensen knew that. He’d been avoiding thinking about it for that very reason.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” he told Danneel. “And I’ll tell you everything soon. I promise.”

He knew he couldn’t put this off forever. Danneel was right. Sooner or later someone was going to figure out where he was disappearing to each night and when they found out. . . Well, Jensen didn’t want to think about it.

Maybe if he slept on it he’d have a better idea on what he needed to do.

“Good morning, Jensen.”

Jeff was waiting outside as soon as Jensen swam out the following morning. That was never a good sign. Jeff liked Jensen well enough, but he was a council elder and if he was here, it was because something serious had happened.

“Jeff,” Jensen nodded, trying to still the hammering of his heart. “Is everything all right?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Jeff replied. He looked concerned rather than angry which Jensen figured was something.

He respected Jeff too much to play dumb. “What have you heard?”

“Just that you’ve been disappearing to the surface for hours every night. I told the council that if it was anything to be concerned about you’d have reported it by now. Am I right?”

Jensen nodded. “It’s nothing serious, Jeff. Our home hasn’t been compromised.”

“And I suppose if I asked you what you were doing up there you wouldn’t tell me, right?”

He really wanted to tell Jeff everything. Jeff might not understand but Jensen trusted him enough to value his opinion. The only thing was he wasn’t sure he’d like the answer.

“Just think about it, whatever it is,” Jeff replied kindly when Jensen didn’t immediately answer. “And remember that it’s not just you that is affected by your actions. Every time you go up there you run the risk of others finding out where we are. It took a lot of work to persuade the council to allow you to have a human contact on the surface. Anything more than that could endanger us all, and your friends if anything were to happen to you.”

It wasn’t a threat exactly, but what Jeff was saying was correct. If anything happened to Jensen while he was on the surface his people would blame Misha regardless of whether he had any involvement. The last thing he wanted to do was to put Misha, and now Jared too, in danger.

He sighed and nodded his head. “Thanks Jeff. I know what I have to do now.”

His heart ached as he swam to the surface.

It was time to say goodbye.

He wasn’t expecting to see Jared standing on the deck when he hoisted himself up. Jared was dressed in clothes that clearly weren’t his own as the shirt stretched tight and the pants stopped above his ankles. Holes had been cut into the shirt to allow for his wings.

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Jensen said with a small smile when Jared grinned down at him.

“Doctor’s orders,” Jared replied. “Richard says I need to start taking gentle walks around the ship to help build up my strength. I was sort of hoping you’d come with me.”

Jensen glanced down at his tail and gave it a small flick. “Sorry, Jared. I don’t think I’m going to be walking anywhere.”

Strangely it just made Jared’s smile widen. “I thought of that. Richard had an idea.”

He stepped aside to reveal a wooden chair with wheels attached to it. “See? I can push you while I walk. That way you can keep me company and I’ve got something to lean on if I get too tired. Perfect, isn’t it?”

“No.”

The smile fell away from Jared’s face. “Jensen. . .”

“I said no. You need to concentrate on getting well not wasting your energy pushing me around like some kind of invalid. Just go. I’ll be here when you’re done. We need to talk.” Jensen said.

Richard chose that moment to come over and join them and Jensen couldn’t have been more grateful when he offered Jared his arm.

“Come on, we’ll do a loop of the deck and you can update him on everything you’ve seen when we pass by.”

Jared still looked like his whole world had been destroyed but he nodded and flashed Jensen a weak smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

There was little else for Jensen to do but sit and wait.

“Ocean,” Jared said when they finally looped back around to Jensen. “Lots and lots of ocean. You didn’t miss much really.”

He looked tired but he was smiling and the fresh air had brought some color to his cheeks.

“Twice more around the deck,” Richard said, “and then it’s back to bed for you until tomorrow.”

Jared sighed but nodded. “Jensen can come and sit with me though, right? I’ve barely spoken to him today.”

Richard shrugged. “So long as you’re off your feet I don’t care what you do.”

“Let’s go then!”

Jensen watched as Jared hastily started to move around the deck again, practically pulling Richard along as he went. This was going to be, without a doubt, the hardest thing Jensen had ever done. He knew he should have got Jared to stay, told him he couldn’t come back, and left it at that. He was just delaying the inevitable, but he wanted Jared to get his exercise first. He couldn’t be responsible for the delay in his recovery.

“I thought I’d never see the day,” Misha said as he sat down next to Jensen and watched Jared and Richard retreat around the corner. “I was starting to think you were asexual.”

Jensen blinked and turned his attention to Misha. “What?”

“I’ve just never seen you express an interest in anyone before and now you can’t stay away for twenty-four hours without coming to visit your new friend.

“Yeah, well you don’t need to worry about that for much longer,” Jensen muttered.

The grin fell from Misha’s face. “Something’s happened.”

It wasn’t a question.

“It’s not safe for me to come here anymore,” Jensen replied softly. His eyes were locked on the far side of the deck waiting for Jared to come into sight again. “As soon as Jared is back in his cabin I’m going to say goodbye.”

“Is that what you want?”

Jensen’s eyes snapped back to Misha who was looking at him squarely, waiting for an answer.

“What sort of question is that?” Jensen demanded. “Of course it’s not what I want. You’re my friend, Misha. I don’t want to leave you but I have to think about my people.”

“And Jared?”

Jensen sighed. “Jared is. . . I don’t even know.”

“But you don’t want to leave him?”

“No.”

They stopped talking as Jared and Richard came back into sight. Jared was laughing at something, and gesturing with his hands so wildly that he almost toppled over.

“Jen, wait until I tell you what just happened,” Jared giggled as they drew close. “It was the funniest thing. Come on Richard, the faster we move the faster I can tell him.”

They disappeared out of sight again and Jensen swallowed the lump in his throat.

“I want to give you something,” Misha said once they were alone again. “Call it a farewell gift.”

He reached into the pouch on his belt and pulled something out, pressing it into Jensen’s hand before he could argue. It was a pendant, like nothing Jensen had ever seen before. The metal was the color of the ocean, and it was shaped like a tusk with carvings on it that Jensen didn’t recognize.

“What is it?”

Misha simply smiled. “Just something to remember me by.”

“I don’t think forgetting you is even possible,” Jensen snorted.

He slipped the pendant over his head and hissed when the cool metal made contact with his chest.

“It’s nice,” Jensen commented softly. “Thank you, Misha. For everything.”

That’s when the pain hit him. It was sharp and sudden, like someone had taken a knife to him.

“Misha,” he gasped but before he could say anything else everything went dark.

“Jensen? Jensen, please wake up. Just. . . tell me you’re okay. Anything.”

Jared sounded worried. Worse than that - he sounded terrified and it was enough to force Jensen to open his eyes.

“’m okay,” he murmured, his eyes barely forming slits as he attempted to focus on Jared. He looked just as scared as he sounded but the fear melted into relief as Jensen struggled to sit up.

“What happened?”

He remembered sitting and talking to Misha and that was about it.

“Here.” He recognized Richard’s voice and felt something soft draped over his waist. “Just take it easy. Your body has been through a major trauma.”

Trauma? What trauma?

There was a dull ache in his tail that caused Jensen to glance down.

His tail was gone. In its place were two legs.

He stared, barely able to comprehend what he was seeing. He had legs. Actual legs. They didn’t look human though, or at least not like Jared’s and Misha’s. They were a shimmering green color, almost the same as his tail had been, and there was a fine webbing between his toes but they were still very clearly legs.

“Misha,” Jensen whispered. “What did you do?”

Misha was pale, his eyes wide as he stared at Jensen. “It wasn’t me.”

“Can you stand up?” Jared asked, eyes warm with concern as he rubbed a comforting hand up and down Jensen’s arm.

“I don’t know,” Jensen replied weakly. “I’ve never stood up before.”

At least the pain was gone now and as Misha and Jared helped Jensen to his feet his head swam. He was higher than he had ever been before, almost as tall as Jared when he got his feet under him and he tried to swallow back the dizzy feeling.

“I’ve got you,” Jared said, his breath warm against Jensen’s neck and his voice soothing. “Just take it slowly, okay?”

Jensen nodded and for a moment he worried he was going to vomit all over Misha’s boots.

“How am I going to go home?” he asked faintly. “I can’t swim with these.”

“We’ll figure out what happened and fix it,” Jared promised. “Let’s see if you can walk. Just lean on me, okay?”

Jensen lifted one foot and placed it down gingerly on the deck. He’d seen plenty of people walking so he knew how it worked in theory, but putting it into practice was something totally different.

“Just copy me, okay?” Jared said as they slowly shuffled along. “You’re doing great, Jen.”

After a few shaky steps his legs buckled and he sagged against Jared who hissed in pain as his broken wing was jarred.

“Okay,” Richard said, moving over to them both. “I think you both need to take it easy for now. Come on.”

He shepherded them into Jared’s cabin and once more Jensen found himself in his chair beside Jared’s bed.

“How are you feeling?” Jared asked once they were settled. “Or is that a stupid question?”

Jensen honestly wasn’t sure how he felt. He’d come out of the ocean that morning a merman and now he honestly had no idea what he was. He wondered how long it would be before people started to miss him, more importantly he feared what would happen to Jared and Misha if he couldn’t turn back.

“We’ll find a way to fix it,” Jared said when Jensen didn’t answer. “I promise.”

They both knew it was a promise Jared couldn’t make, but Jensen still nodded his head and closed his eyes as his mind rushed to catch up with everything that had just happened.

“You should get some sleep,” he told Jared. “I need to speak to Misha. He was with me when this happened.”

“I’ll come with you,” Jared said. “Maybe I can help.”

Jensen shook his head. “No, stay. You need to rest. I’ll tell you if we figure anything out.”

Jared looked halfway towards ignoring him and getting out of bed anyway but he finally sighed and nodded.

Jensen lurched to his feet. Walking was a little easier this time and he managed to stumble out of the cabin without falling flat on his face which he considered a small victory.

As soon as Jensen saw Misha and the look of guilt on his face he knew that his friend knew something, and when Misha’s eyes flicked to the pendant that Jensen had forgotten he was wearing he realized what had happened.

“You knew this would happen,” he snapped as he stormed over to Misha, his legs feeling stronger with each step that he took. “You cursed me!”

Misha shook his head. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. The pendant is blessed and supposed to grant the wearer whatever they wanted. You were so sad about having to leave Jared that I thought it might help.”

“Well it didn’t!” Jensen’s rang across the deck causing the nearby crew to stop what they were doing and stare. “You have no idea what you’ve done. Do you want to know why I was going to leave? Because if I continued to come here, my people would have been in danger. If I can’t go home, they’re going to react and, if you’re lucky, the worse thing they’ll do is sink your ship.”

Misha paled and Jensen flinched when he felt a hand come to rest on his arm. He didn’t need to turn around to know that he was Jared. No one had hands as large as his.

“You were going to leave?” Jared’s voice was soft and small and Jensen couldn’t bring himself to turn around and face him. He could already imagine the wounded look on Jared’s face and he didn’t want that to be the last image he had of him.

“I’m sorry,” Jensen whispered.

He gently pulled himself out of Jared’s touch and walked over to the edge of the deck. If the pendant caused the legs, he could only hope that removing it would make them go away.

“Wait!” He stopped, knowing that he shouldn’t turn back to Jared but unable to resist the sound of his voice.

“I’m not going to see you again, am I?” Jared asked. He was still standing next to Misha wearing that hurt look that Jensen had been trying so hard to avoid.

He shook his head.

For a moment he thought Jared was going to shout and argue, but instead he just let out a resigned sigh and walked over to him.

“At least say goodbye properly then.”

“Goodb-“

Jared cut him off with a kiss. It was hot and fierce and his mouth plundered Jensen’s as though his life depended on it. Jensen sagged against Jared, clutching at his arms and not wanting the moment to end.

“Something to remember me by,” Jared whispered softly with a gentle smile when they eventually parted.

Jensen opened his mouth to reply but the words wouldn’t come. He needed to leave even though every part of his body ached to stay.

Finally he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pulled the pendant off and tossed it onto the deck.

Nothing happened.

Jensen let out an anguished groan. This was the end. His people were going to sink the ship and kill them all.

“I’m sor-“

Before he could finish speaking his legs disappeared from under him and he toppled into the water. It was not the most dignified exit he’d ever made but his tail was back and he was free to stop whatever action the council might have been considering in retribution for his disappearance.

As he swam home, he only wished he didn’t miss Jared so much already.

“Legs?” Danneel stared at him in total disbelief. “Human legs?”

Jensen nodded.

“And you’re in love with a wingman?”

Jensen nodded again.

Danneel smacked his arm. “You’re an idiot. You could have told me. What are you going to do about it?”

Jensen sighed. “Absolutely nothing. It’s over Danneel.”

Her face softened and she pulled him into a hug. “You’re an idiot, but I still love you.”

All Jensen could do was allow his best friend to hold him and offer what little comfort she could.

He slipped easily but uncomfortably back into his old routine and tried not to think about Jared. He tried not to think about him when he found some moss that was just the same shade as Jared’s eyes, he tried not to think about Jared when he saw the mermaids grooming their hair and remembered how Jared’s shone in the sun, and he tried not to think about him when he was trying to sleep alone each night.

“Okay, this needs to stop,” Danneel snapped after Jensen had gone for about a week of resolutely trying not to think about Jared. “You’re torturing yourself for no reason, Jensen. The council listens to you and, despite my previous comments, you’re not a total idiot. You can convince them of anything. Why aren’t you even trying?”

Jensen opened his mouth and closed it again. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. His people always came first. That was the way it had always been.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Danneel said gently with a hand on his arm. “The council doesn’t want to see you unhappy any more than I do. You can make this work, Jensen.”

Jensen sighed and nodded. He owed it to Jared to at least try.

“Jensen!”

Jensen almost toppled back into the ocean when he hoisted himself aboard Misha’s ship and found Jared sat on the deck. He’d been hoping for a little longer to work on the speech he’d been writing in his head, and now Jared was here, looking at him with such hope that all thoughts of anything disappeared out of his head.

“Are you. . . back?”

Jensen nodded. “Yeah.”

He barely had time to take another breath before Jared had hoisted him up into his arms and was kissing him like his life depended on it.

“God, Jensen, I’ve been sitting out here every night just in case,” Jared murmured between kisses. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” Jensen replied, raking his fingers through Jared’s hair and marveling at the softness. “You have no idea.”

“I think I do.”

He held up the pendant that Misha had given to Jensen. The one that had changed everything.

“I kept it,” Jared whispered into Jensen’s hair as he nuzzled against him. “So that if you ever came back. . . I can carry you if you don’t want to wear it.

Jensen faked a scowl and pulled the cord over his head.

The pain wasn’t so bad this time. More like a mild discomfort than the agonizing pain he’d felt the first time.

“You need any help?” Jared asked as Jensen climbed to his feet and wrapped his coat around Jensen’s shoulders. Jensen was really going to have to start having clothes ready for these visits. Half the crew had now seen him naked, which was not something he wanted to think about or make a habit of.

“I’m fine,” he told Jared. “This walking thing is easier than it looks.”

He almost toppled overboard when Jared leaned down and kissed him. “Did I mention that I missed you?”

A warmth spread through him that felt almost like a fever. “Did I mention that I missed you too?”

“You want to. . .” Jared’s cheeks flushed red. “You want to go to bed?”

The stirrings Jensen felt were answer enough and he didn’t trust himself to speak so he simply nodded and allowed Jared to lead him inside.

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Jared asked as they curled around each other in a sweaty mess of tangled limbs and sheets. “I’m not going to pressure you but if you ever want to talk to me you know that you can.”

Jensen nodded and pressed a kiss to Jared’s shoulder. “I know.”

“I used to watch you, you know.” Jared finally said. “When I was out flying, I used to pass by Misha’s ship and see you sitting there talking to him.”

Jensen smiled. “I used to see you too. You were getting closer and closer and I told Misha one day that you were going to crash into his ship.”

“And instead I crashed into you,” Jared chuckled. “Lucky me.”

“Lucky me, too.” Jensen replied.

“I’ll tell you everything,” Jensen added. “Tomorrow. I promise. First I need to sleep, and I think you do too.”

Jared cuddled close and nodded. “Sleep sounds good.”

He was snoring softly before Jensen could even reply.

Jared looked at him dubiously, and then at the water beneath them. “I don’t know about this, Jensen.”

“I promise I won’t let anything happen to you, Jared. You just need to trust me.”

“Oh, I trust you. I’m just not sure if I trust me. I’m not sure I’m really compatible with water.”

“I’ll hold onto you, I promise. Just give it a try. It feels amazing.”

Jared dipped a toe into the water and grimaced. “If I do this you have to promise to let me take you flying once my wing’s healed.”

Jensen glanced up at the sky above them and shuddered. But he understood that if he brought Jared into his world, the least he could do was the same.

“I promise.”

Jared took a deep breath and jumped.

Jensen caught him as soon as he hit the water and pulled him close. He could hear Jared’s breath coming in ragged pants and could feel his heart hammering in his chest.

“It’s okay,” he whispered softly as he peppered Jared’s face with kisses. “I’ve got you.”

They bobbed there for a few moments while Jared calmed down and finally he started smiling.

“See?” Jensen grinned. “Not that bad, is it?”

Jared shook his head. “No, but that’s mostly because you’re here.”

Jensen blushed and turned his head behind them. “Why don’t we swim to that island over there. Turn around so that your back is to me.”

Carefully Jared squirmed in Jensen’s arms, not willing to let go for even a second but he finally managed to maneuver himself so that his back was against Jensen’s chest.

“Just lie back, okay.”

Jared moved so that his head was on Jensen’s shoulder, much as it had been on the night Jensen had saved him. Only this time Jared was chattering away nervously as Jensen swam them towards the small island

Jared relaxed once his feet made contact with the sand and they lay down on the beach together, Jensen’s tail still dipped in the ocean.

“This is nice,” Jared said as he stretched and let the sun beat down on him. “I like Misha but his ship is so. . .”

“Confining?” Jensen supplied.

Jared nodded and shifted closer to Jensen. “It’s also nice for us to be alone . . . where no one can hear us.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Jensen replied with a sly grin.

“How about I show you, then.”

Jensen’s head tilted back, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the feel of Jared’s mouth on his body as he trailed kisses down Jensen’s chest.

“Ahem.”

They both froze as a female voice clearing her throat snapped them out of the moment.

Jensen glanced over Jared’s shoulder and sat bolt upright when he spotted Danneel bobbing up and down in the water a few feet away from them, a smirk on her face.

“Forgive me for interrupting, your highness. I didn’t expect my island to be occupied today.”

Jensen sighed.

“Your highness?” Jared repeated faintly.

“We should leave,” Jensen said hurriedly as Danneel watched them, still with that smirk on her face.

“No, no,” Danneel replied. “Stay. I’ll find a coral reef or something today. Goodbye, sire.”

“She never uses my title when I want her to,” Jensen muttered as Danneel dived back under the waves.

He was aware that Jared was still staring at him and ducked his head.

“So, you’re, what? A king?”

“Prince,” Jensen replied softly. “That’s how I was able to convince the council to make me an ambassador to the surface.”

Jared continued to stare at him and Jensen’s heart sank as he realized this was too much. He’d kept this a secret from Jared and now Jared was going to end their relationship.

He frowned when instead of pushing him away Jared smiled and pulled him closer. “That’s kind of hot. Sire.”

Jensen’s skin tingled at the use of the name in Jared’s low, deep voice.

“Say that again.”

“Sire.”

Jensen pounced, rolling Jared over so that their positions were switched and he was on top.

“Again.”

“Sire.”

Jensen fumbled for the amulet in Jared’s pocket and pulled it over his head. He was going to need legs for all the things he had planned to do to Jared that day.

Jensen clung to Jared as though his life depended on it. In fact his life _did_ depend on it.

Jared gave his healed wing an experimental flap. Richard had assured them he was fine to fly, and he’d done a solo trip to test it but Jensen was still nervous.

“Trust me,” Jared replied. “I won’t let you fall.”

Jensen gave an audible swallow. “I trust you.”

He did. They’d been through so much together in a relatively short space of time. In fact Jensen could barely believe it had just been a few weeks since he’d plucked Jared from the water and pulled him to Misha’s ship.

“You ready?” Jared asked and Jensen tightened his grip before nodding his head. He’d promised he would do this and if nothing else he was a man of his word.

“I’ll stay low to start with,” Jared promised. “Let you get used to it, okay?”

With a beat of his wings Jared lifted them off the deck of the ship and into the air. Jensen’s first instinct was to squeeze his eyes shut but he forced them open. He was a prince and princes weren’t afraid of anything. Besides, he knew Jared wanted him to look.

It wasn’t so bad, flying a few feet above the ocean. Jensen could see down into the water, at the fish and other creatures not far below the surface. He wondered what they would make of their prince soaring through the air like a bird and smiled at the thought.

“You okay?” Jared asked, his breath warm against the side of Jensen’s neck.

“Yeah,” Jensen replied.

“You ready to go higher?”

Jensen braced himself. “Okay.”

Jared soared, higher and higher until Misha’s ship was just a speck on the vast blue of the ocean. They flew into the clouds, which Jensen was surprised to find were wet and not fluffy as he’d expected, and above them into the dazzling sunlight. The wind rushed through Jensen’s hair and he was amazed to find that he wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

Jared slowed, and stopped beating his wings so that they were slowly sliding.

“Jared,” Jensen breathed. “This is amazing. Thank you.”

Jared pressed a kiss to the top of Jensen’s head. “I should be thanking you, Jensen. You’ve given me so much.”

“I love you.”

It was the one thing Jensen had been yearning to say but had yet to find the courage but here, above the clouds, he felt like he could do anything.

“I love you too.”

At that moment Jensen was quite sure that if Jared let go he could fly by himself. But instead he was content to stay like this, in his arms, with the ocean below them and the sky above.

The End


End file.
